


Expertise

by thesometimeswarrior



Series: Two Hundred Words for Two Hundred Fics! A Celebratory Fic Prompt-Fest! [7]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Double Drabble, Family, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, Lack of Communication, Mental Health Issues, Post-Episode s06e04 Volleyball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:01:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21878566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesometimeswarrior/pseuds/thesometimeswarrior
Summary: It’s not Steven’s new ability that unnerves Pearl, but rather, the fear that had been in Steven’s own eyes that strikes her. The way he’d glowed pink with terror, then pushed it down…(She knows something about compartmentalizing.)
Relationships: Pearl & Steven Universe
Series: Two Hundred Words for Two Hundred Fics! A Celebratory Fic Prompt-Fest! [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1567093
Comments: 18
Kudos: 127





	Expertise

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ChromaticDreams](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChromaticDreams/gifts).



> **Prompt: Something short with Pearl checking in with Steven post Volleyball, seeing if he's okay.**
> 
> (Yes, this is attempt #2 on this prompt. I wasn't super satisfied with how the other one came out, so I redid it. I'm not taking the other one down though, so consider this a bonus!)

It’s not Steven’s new _ability_ that unnerves Pearl, (although, there’s something to unpack there too, the rage in his voice that apparently Pink had also shrieked once upon a time, the way it made Volleyball _tremble_.) But rather, when she mulls it over the following morning, it’s the fear that had been in Steven’s _own_ eyes that strikes her. 

(The way he’d glowed pink with terror, then pushed it down…)

(She knows something about compartmentalizing.)

Pearl means to talk to him about it. Ascends the stairs to his room, knocks on the wall. “Steven?”

He jolts up from his bed. “H-Hey, Pearl. What’s up?”

(His smile is just too large to be genuine.)

(She’d know. She’s worn the same countless times. _If you’re okay with it, I’m fine too!_ )

She opens her mouth, wants to probe beneath the surface of whatever’s ailing him, drag it out into the light of day and assure him that whatever it is isn’t his fault…

But Pearl knows something about compartmentalizing, understands the painful wrench of revealing that which had been hidden, and—selfishly, so _selfishly_ —she can’t _bear_ to cause him more pain.

“Are you hungry?” she asks, instead. “I’ll make you breakfast.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! I love comments!
> 
> * * *
> 
> This is part of a series of double drabbles I'm writing to celebrate having written 200 fics on ao3!
> 
> I'm accepting prompts in the following fandoms:
> 
> 1) Steven Universe  
> 2) Avatar: The Last Airbender  
> 3) Harry Potter  
> 4) Tanakh or Talmud
> 
> I have a few specifications for things that I will and won't write. Please click [here](https://runrundoyourstuff.tumblr.com/post/189378264394/exciting-fic-announcement) for more info!


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